MALVERN RAILWAY STATION

2 STATION STREET MALVERN, STONNINGTON CITY

Victorian Heritage Register

Statement of Significance

Last updated on - August 24, 1999

What is significant?
In 1878, after the government had acquired Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay United Railway Company, the decision was made to extend the railway line from South Yarra through Malvern, Caulfield and to Oakleigh, connecting the suburban network with the government’s country service into Gippsland. It is thought that around this time the first station buildings at Malvern were constructed. When the siding was cut for the railway line, the earlier station at Malvern was demolished. The present station, designed in 1912-13 by James W Hardy, the chief architect for the Department of Way and Works, was completed in 1914 following the re-grading of the existing railway line between Caulfield and South Yarra Stations. Malvern Station is one of a group of stations designed by Hardy prior to and during the First World War. The station consists of an island platform with elevated booking office linked to the side platforms by an overhead footbridge. A second booking office is located on the north-west platform and a red brick parapet wall is on the east platform. The buildings are constructed of red brick with cement banding, and stucco walls to the upper storey of the centre platform building. The Edwardian architecture features a tiled hip roof with terracotta finials, tall chimneys with terracotta pots and arched entries with render voussoirs. The platforms have cantilevered verandahs clad in corrugated iron and faced with a ripple iron valance.

How is it significant?
Malvern Railway Station Complex is of aesthetic, architectural, social and historical significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
Malvern Railway Station Complex is of aesthetic and architectural significance as the most intact and representative example of the two storey station designs constructed in the metropolitan area after the turn of the century. The other examples which are almost identical in design are at Armadale, Camberwell, Hawksburn, Malvern and Toorak. Malvern Railway station demonstrates many details characteristic of this group of stations, including the two storey central building, curtain wall and verandah on platform four, red brick construction with render banding, cantilever verandahs, ornately shaped parapets and arched openings with render voussoirs. Malvern Railway Complex is important as an intact example of the work of architect JW Hardy, chief architect for the Department of Way and Works, between 1908 and 1918.

Malvern Railway Station Complex is of social and historical importance for its potential to yield information on the changing nature of railways, locomotive technology and public transport use in Victoria. The station is important for its association with the rebuilding of a group of railway stations as a result of the need to increase the number of lines, combined with the introduction of the electric tram. Malvern Railway Station is one of several similar designs built in the metropolitan area to coincide with the electrification programme, which was delayed until the end of World War 1. The line through Malvern was electrified in 1922. The Malvern Railway Complex demonstrates the expansion of Melbourne and the settling in the suburbs, in particular the establishment of Malvern as a major metropolitan centre.

Place ID

Location

Municipality

Heritage Listing

Victorian Heritage Register

Level of significance

Registered

Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number

H1575

Heritage Overlay Numbers

HO103

Extent of Registration

NOTICE OF REGISTRATION

As Executive Director for the purpose of the Heritage Act, I give notice under section 46 that the Victorian Heritage Register is amended in that the Heritage Register Number 1575 is now described in the category as a Heritage Place:

Malvern Railway Station Complex, Station Street, Malvern, Stonnington City Council.

EXTENT:

1. All the buildings and structures marked B1 Station Building off Dandenong Road, platform 1 and ramp; B2 Island Station Building, Platform and ramp; B3 Station Building off Station Street, Platform 4 and ramp; B4 Footbridge on Diagram 600073 held by the Executive Director.

2. All the land marked L1 on Diagram 600073 held by the Executive Director, being part of the land described as Book 279 No. 249, Book 307 No. 447, Book 284 No. 370 and Book 278 No. 202.

Malvern Railway Station is located on Crown allotment 59, which was sold in 1854 to Thomas Fulton, L. Mackinnon and F.J. Sargood for £310. The land was immediately subdivided and by 1865 William Chandler, a market gardener was the owner of the land at the corner of Glenferrie Road and Dandenong Road.

In 1874, Smith Ellis, the Malvern Shire Secretary wrote to the Commissioner of Roads and Railways requesting that the proposed Gippsland Railway should pass through Malvern ‘as it would thereby secure an already large amount of daily passenger traffic that now travels to and from the City by other means of conveyance’. In 1878 the State Government acquired the assets of the Melbourne and Hobson’s Bay United railway Company. A decision was made to extend the railway line from South Yarra through Malvern, Caulfield and to Oakleigh, connecting the suburban network with the government’s country service into Gippsland. When the Malvern section was surveyed, the line went through Chandler’s house and land and in 1878 his property was purchased by the Board of Land and Works for the Construction of the railway.

Completed in 1879, the line ran from South Yarra through Hawksburn, Toorak, Armadale and Malvern, stimulating land subdivision and development of both commercial and residential areas. Land values rose, and a building boom occurred in the immediate vicinity of Malvern Station. Glenferrie Road, High Street and Station Street quickly developed into thriving shopping centres. Six years later the Malvern Shire Hall was erected on the corner of Glenferrie Road and High Street, completing the triangle of development between Malvern and Armadale stations.

When the Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust erected the electric tramway in High Street, the State Government imposed stringent conditions, demanding a grade separation at the railway. This led to the extensive excavation of the railway cutting from Malvern back to Hawksburn Railway Station, with Prahran and Malvern councils contributing to the cost. In addition the heavy race traffic to Caulfield, the increasing residential development beyond Caulfield and the need for additional tracks for the express trains to Gippsland contributed to the need to re-grade the line. Work continued during the First World War, and the line was doubled between South Yarra and Caulfield. Within four years of Malvern’s first tram leaving Cold Blo Tram depot in 1910, the railway stations at Hawksburn, Toorak, Armadale and Malvern had been rebuilt.

When the siding was cut for the railway line, the earlier station at Malvern was demolished. The present station designed in 1912-13 by James W. Hardy, the chief architect for the Department of Way and Works, was completed in 1914. As a result the re-grading works, Glenferrie Road was changed from a level crossing to a road bridge. Malvern station was one of several similar designs built in the metropolitan area to coincide with the electrification programme, which was delayed until the end of the War. The line through Malvern was electrified in 1922.

James W. Hardy

James Hardy had been a draftsman with the Existing Lines Branch since 1881 and was appointed to the new office of Chief Architect in 1908. He held the position of Chief Architect for the Department of Way and Works until 1918. Hardy was also responsible for the railway stations at Caulfield, Armadale, Toorak and Hawksburn, the group of stations between South Yarra and Caulfield, as well as Camberwell Station .
Associated People: James W Hardy, department of Way and Works architect

James Hardy had been a draftsman with the Existing Lines Branch since 1881 and was appointed to the new office of Chief Architect in 1908. He held the position of Chief Architect for the Department of Way and Works until 1918. Hardy was also responsible for the railway stations at Caulfield, Armadale, Toorak and Hawksburn, the group of stations between South Yarra and Caulfield, as well as Camberwell Station .

MALVERN RAILWAY STATION - Assessment Against Criteria

Criterion A
The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object.

The Malvern Railway Complex is important for its association with the development of the railway system throughout Victoria, specifically with the linking of the important Melbourne to Gippsland line. The rebuilding of a group of stations as a result of the need to increase the number of lines, combined with the introduction of the electric tram indicates the importance of public transport to the development of Victoria.

Criterion B
The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness.

Criterion C
The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage.

The Malvern Railway Complex is important for its potential to yield information on the changing nature of railways, locomotive technology and public transport use in Victoria.

Criterion D
The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects.

The Malvern Railway Complex demonstrates many of the architectural details common to the Malvern style group of railway stations, including the two storey central building, station building on platform one, curtain wall on platform four, red brick construction with render details and lattice footbridge.

Criterion E
The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features.

The curtain wall on the upside platform is unusual and demonstrates the efforts made to carry through an architectural style on all platforms.

Criterion F
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements.

Criterion G
The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations.

Criterion H
Any other matter which the Council considers relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significance

MALVERN RAILWAY STATION - Permit Exemptions

General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.

Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of any extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
* Regular garden maintenance.

Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors